'Diff'rent Strokes' actor Conrad Bain, 89, died Jan. 14, 2013, in Livermore, Calif. Bain is shown with his TV sons -- Gary Coleman (Arnold), left, and Todd Bridges (Willis) -- during the TV Land Awards at the Hollywood Palladium on March 2, 2003, in Hollywood, Calif.

Written by

Ann Oldenburg
USA TODAY

Actor Conrad Bain, who played dad Phillip Drummond on the 1980s sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes," died Monday in Livermore, Calif., reports TMZ. He was 89.

Bain's daughter, Jennifer Bain, said he died of natural causes.

On the show, Conrad Bain played a wealthy Manhattan widower who promised his dying housekeeper he will raise her sons, played by Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges. Race and class relations became topics on the show, along with the typical parenthood challenges.
...